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How to Stay Motivated Toward Your Goals

By Daniela H on September 28, 2024

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Motivation is key to accomplish one’s goals. Whether it’s saving a certain amount of money, or getting an A on a test, goals are important in daily lives. However, some may lack the drive to commit to activities and such to achieve them. Unmotivation is common in today’s society, and many students may be burdened by it. There are many ways that people can become unmotivated.

For example, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a theory formed by 20th century psychologist Abraham Maslow, proposes that more basic needs must be met (e.g. survival, safety) before someone may pursue more abstract needs (e.g. self-fulfillment, psychological needs). In this theory, he concluded that motivation to reach higher needs will be lost if basic needs are not met. Furthermore, if someone is tired or hungry, then they will inherently be less motivated toward their goals. These are just some of the many factors involved in this issue.

First of all, it is important to differentiate between the two types of motivation: extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic motivation is when people are motivated to do something for external reasons like winning an award. These are usually material aspirations and the motivation only lasts for the time that there is an award or desired outcome.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. Instead of being motivated to do something because of a reward, people find the work rewarding in itself. This type of self motivation is self-driven and typically lasts longer and is more meaningful.

Some people may struggle finding the motivation necessary to accomplish their goals. Fortunately, there are methods that can help keep people motivated.


1. Create a vision board

One way to stay motivated is to visualize your goals. This makes your aspirations more tangible and helps drive you to keep working at it. For example, if you want to be accepted to your dream university, you can include a poster of their school on your vision board to remind you of your goal. You can also add images and quotes that inspire you. You can put this vision board in your bedroom or on your wall so you see it daily and repeatedly imagine your goals and future.


2. Break tasks into smaller steps

Many times, goals can be very daunting. The end result may seem too far away or difficult to complete. Therefore, it is imperative to split large tasks to smaller and more manageable ones. This helps record your progress and makes your goal seem more achievable. Both ways, this solution can further motivate you towards your goals.


3. Stay healthy

As mentioned previously about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it is necessary to fulfill basic needs to be motivated. In accordance with this theory, it is important to focus on physical and mental health first to achieve motivation. This can be accomplished through exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, and having a consistent sleep schedule. Similarly, in terms of mental health, you can write in a gratitude journal to foster a positive mindset and thus increase motivation.


4. Stay flexible

Sometimes it can be frustrating and unmotivating when things don’t go your way, or you have to adjust your schedule or goals. This is simply a hurdle to overcome. It is important to accept that change and adapt as you go.


5. Mix up your routine

A repetitive and boring routine can be heavily unmotivating. Thus, it is recommended to occasionally use different methods or change your environment as you keep working toward your goals. This prevents people from getting into slumps and drives them to accomplish their goals.

All in all, motivation is essential in accomplishing goals. There are 2 types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic, and they both have different impacts. There are several ways to promote motivation, including making a vision board, creating smaller tasks, maintaining good health and sleeping habits, keeping an open mind, and adding variation to one’s routine.

Thank you to Diya R for editing this article!

Sources:

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